Lipid infusion as a treatment for local anesthetic toxicity: a literature review

Local anesthetic toxicity can have catastrophic outcome in an otherwise benign procedure. Introduction of even a small amount of local anesthetic into the bloodstream can cause cardiac arrest in a healthy patient. Most healthcare facilities rely on standard resuscitative techniques to treat such events; however, treatment via infusion of lipid emulsion has been used successfully to stabilize the condition of some patients in a safe, effective, and rapid manner. The online databases consulted included Academic Search Premier, CINAHL, and MEDLINE. The key words included in the search were "Intralipid," "local anesthetic toxicity," "lipid infusion," and "lipid sink." Lipid therapy has shown great promise for the treatment of patients facing cardiovascular collapse due to local anesthetic toxicity. However, the slow adoption of this novel evidence-based practice by healthcare facilities endangers patients who may not receive the best available care when the need is most dire. Current evidence suggests that infusion of lipid emulsion should be considered among the primary treatments for local anesthetic toxicity and be made readily available in every facility's operating or procedure room, and hospital staff should be trained in its use when local anesthetic toxicity is suspected.